The present disclosure relates to a method and system of maintaining a predetermined working quantity of fluid in a reduced volume sump of a motor or vehicle. The method includes recurrently determining a quantity of fluid in the sump and comparing the determined quantity of fluid to the predetermined working fluid quantity. In response to identifying a deviation between the determined quantity of fluid and the predetermined working fluid quantity, the method includes sending a control signal to a fluid pumping system to transfer fluid between the sump and a fluid container.

During the travel of a vehicle, the oil level of lubricating oil is lowered due to the suction by at least a first oil pump and the scraping-up by the rotation of a differential ring gear and so on. In particular, until the oil level becomes equal to or lower than an upper end of a first partition wall, the oil level is lowered due to both the suction by the first oil pump and the scraping-up by the rotation of the differential ring gear and so on, and therefore, a region, that is immersed in the lubricating oil, of the differential device rapidly becomes smaller. Since a suction port of the first oil pump is disposed in a second oil storage portion, the oil level in the second oil storage portion during the travel of the vehicle can be adjusted independently of that in a first oil storage portion.

In one example embodiment, a valve can include a piston configured to open the valve when a first force is greater than a second force, a biasing member that pushes against the piston and exerts a substantial portion of the first force against the piston, and a material that exerts a substantial portion of the second force against the piston, wherein the material changes from a solid to a liquid at an approximate, predetermined temperature, the change of the material from solid to liquid decreases the second force and allows the piston to move and open the valve.

A device and method for operating a fluid-guiding device, including an electrically operated fluid pump, which delivers fluid from a fluid sump of the fluid-guiding device and supplies it to at least one fluid consumer. A fluid volume in the fluid sump as well as a current intensity of the electric current taken up by the fluid pump and modeled on the basis of the rotational speed of the fluid pump are ascertained, and a comparison value is determined from the modeled current intensity. A deficient fluid supply of the fluid-guiding device is inferred if the fluid volume is greater than a threshold value and a measured current intensity of the electric current taken up by the fluid pump is less than the comparison value.

A system includes a bearing, a lubricant line, a vessel and a sensor. The lubricant line is designed to introduce lubricant from a bearing gap of the bearing into the vessel. The sensor is designed to measure at least one physical variable of lubricant that is situated in the vessel. The vessel includes an outlet or overflow. The system includes a lubricant sump and a device for introducing lubricant from the sump into the bearing gap of the bearing.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a lubrication system based on an axle configuration of a tandem axle with a disconnect feature. In one example, a method may include adjusting an oil level in an axle sump of a tandem axle based on an axle configuration of the tandem axle (e.g., whether the tandem axle is operating with one of a 6×4 axle configuration and a 6×2 axle configuration), the axle sump selectably coupled to an external reservoir via a first passage and a second passage, the first passage including an electric pump, the second passage including a valve, and the tandem axle coupled to a drivetrain of a motor vehicle. In this way, an amount of oil in the axle sump may be adjusted based on the tandem axle configuration.

A method controls the start-up of an oil pump of a gearbox by a brushless electric motor that has no position sensor. The stator coils are powered from the off mode in a constant-current open-loop control sequence until the pump reaches a speed threshold at which speed regulation switches over to closed-loop control on a setpoint corresponding to the lubrication flow rate required to ensure the reliability of the gearbox, but without in so doing exceeding a current threshold indicative of pump seizure, at which point motor control switches back over to the constant-current open-loop control sequence. The open-loop current setpoint is higher than the threshold for switching over to closed-loop control so that in the open-loop control mode the motor torque available at the pump is higher than in the closed-loop control mode.

A wave machine (8) that produces different shapes of standing, parabolic-shaped waveforms (150) used by surfers (200). The parabolic waveforms (150) have different face angles and depths. The machine (8) includes a rotating container (10) partially filled with a fluid 140. When the container (10) is rotated, a standing, parabolic waveform 150 is created in the fluid (140). In one embodiment, the container (10) is bowl container (11) with curved panels (60) and terminate at an upper edge (16). On or near the upper edge (16) of the sidewall (14) is upper flange (18) that partially extends into the bowl container (11). The bowl container (11) is coupled to a speed adjustable drive mechanism (50). As the bowl container (11) is rotated, fluid (14) is forced outward against the sidewall (14) and forms a parabolic waveform (150). As the speed of rotation is increased, the fluid (140) flows upward over the sidewall (14) and against the upper flange (18). The thickness, depth and face of parabolic waveform (150) adjacent to the sidewall (14) are increased.

An oil supply system of an automatic transmission includes a reservoir (1) for accommodating and storing a liquid operating medium (6), a volume compensation tank (102), and a valve device (20) for establishing or interrupting a hydraulic connection (3) between the volume compensation tank (102) and the reservoir (1). The volume compensation tank (102), in the installed position of the automatic transmission, is arranged above the reservoir (1). The hydraulic connection (3) between the volume compensation tank (102) and the reservoir (1) is automatically establishable or interruptable by the valve device (20) as a function of a temperature. The valve device (20) is configured such that the temperature at which the valve device (20) is in the open condition is lower than the temperature at which the valve device (20) is in the closed condition and, thereby, the hydraulic connection (3) is at least partially interrupted.

A vehicle driving apparatus including: a rotating electrical machine that acts as a source of driving force for a first wheel and a second wheel; a speed reduction device that reduces a speed of rotation of the rotating electrical machine; a differential gear device that distributes, to the first wheel and the second wheel, the driving force transmitted from the rotating electrical machine via the speed reduction device; a case that houses the rotating electrical machine, the speed reduction device, and the differential gear device; and an oil circulator.